


Christmas Through the Years

by EmeraldBae



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Miraculous, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-17
Updated: 2017-12-22
Packaged: 2019-02-15 19:33:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13037928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmeraldBae/pseuds/EmeraldBae
Summary: A collection of snapshots of seven Christmases that Adrien and Marinette spend together.





	1. The First and Second Year

Year 1

 

Adrien had just moved into his first apartment. He was finally free of his father and his cold childhood home. Granted, he was moving in alone but Nino lived only a half a block away and they were planning on spending Christmas together, his first Christmas with someone other then his father’s assistant.

He had it all planned out. They were going to exchange presents then make gingerbread houses just like he used to make with his mom, watch “White Christmas”, before ending the night over at Nino’s family house for Christmas dinner. It was going to be perfect and to ensure perfection he had bought all the Christmas decorations that could carry.

His arms were full of sacks with lights, snowflake decorations, stockings, and ribbons. He was contemplating getting an inflatable reindeer but his apartment was pretty small and he knew Nino would tease him endlessly.

He ascended the stairs to his apartment, quietly humming “Baby its Cold Outside” when he smelled the scent of smoke. It was strong when he turned to his floor.

Smoke was billowing out of his neighbor’s apartment. Quickly, he dropped his bags in front of his apartment and knocked on his neighbors door.

After the third knock a girl with black hair, tied up in a bun that was coming apart at the seams. and with the bluest, though slightly crazed, eyes he'd ever seen opened the door.

He was momentary stunned but quickly took a deep breath, “Hi -um we’re neighbors and uh are you alright? I smelled smoke and oh my god-“ He pushed past her and ran up to her stove as a giant plume of smoke billowed from her stove.

He grabbed a towel before grabbing the burning pot and turned to the sink, quickly turning the water on. With a hiss the fire was out.

“What are you doing?!” The girl yelled.

The water had extinguished the small flames and Adrien took a calming breath before turning to woman.

“I was just- your pot was on fire I got it out.”

The girl’s slightly crazed eyes became full blown murderous. “That was my last chicken breast! You had no right to barge in and ruin my food!” She said, stomping her foot.

Adrien froze for a moment baffled, “Ruin- your food? IT WAS ON FIRE!?”

The woman's’ face contorted, “You had no right to-to barge in here and now everything is ruined!”

She pushed past him and surveyed the leftover damage. The chicken was flooded with water, there was no scavenging it.

Though the woman’s back was turned, she was trembling slightly.

Cautiously Adrian reached out, “Hey look I’m sor-“

She twirled around to him, “Get out! Just get out!”

Adrien wanted to fix this but he was also getting annoyed “Hey I was just trying to save you from burning down not only your apartment but whole building!”

She pushed him out the door.

“Get out!” And with that she slammed the door in his face.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Year 2

It had been 10 months since his father had suddenly moved to New York City. It wasn’t a huge deal to Adrien since he never saw his father when he was here, but what was a huge deal was that his father asked him to spend Christmas with him in New York City. It would be the first time since the Christmas after his mother died that his father wanted to celebrate Christmas together. He was so excited about it that anytime Christmas was mentioned in a conversation he would light up and a warm, fond feeling would fill his heart. His father wanted to spend time with him; it was an opportunity that would have to be pried away from his cold dead fingers.

His flight was scheduled the day before Christmas Eve and he was already packed a week early.

Adrien walked up to his apartment door and shuffled his bag around, looking for his keys when his neighbor emerged from her apartment next door.

Marinette flipped her hair back as she locked her door before jumping when she looked over and saw him standing there.

She turned and glared at him.

“Agreste.”

“Dupain-Cheng.”

She pulled her purse on her shoulder, “So what are you up to for Christmas?” she asked.

Even though he was speaking to his arch nemesis, he couldn’t contain his smile.

He straighten up, “I’ll have you know I’m going to New York City to celebrate with my father.”

“Good, so you won’t be here to ruin my Christmas dinner this year,” she sneered.

His smile turned into a smirk, “No, sadly I won’t be here to save the block when you inevitably and single handily ruin Christmas this year. Tell me again how the daughter of the best bakers in Paris can’t even cook a simple meal without destroying her ceiling and forcing the occupants above her to move out?”

Marionette growled, “Shut up” and stalked down the hall to the stairs.

Adrien chuckled to himself and went into the his apartment. He threw his bags on the couch and flopped down beside them and turned on the news.

“-storm is predicted to grow in magnitude and become one of the worse blizzards in New York City’s history with the worst being predicted to happen on Christmas day.”

Adrien shut off the T.V. He would still be able to get to New York, he had to.

——-

“What do you mean my flight is canceled?” Adrien growled to the poor airport attendant.

“Sir, there are no flights going in or out to any airport near New York til the storm ends but that won’t be for another three or four days at least.”

Adrien slammed his fists on the counter. “No! There has to be something! Anything! I need to get to New York for Christmas, it’s important!”

The attendant shook her head, “Sir, I’m sorry but there is nothing we can do.”

After speaking to three more attendants and a manger later, he left the airport and returned home.

It was Christmas Eve, he had just spent the last day and a half at the airport fighting and waiting and pleading for any flight that could get him to New York but it was true, absolutely no one was flying there.

He reached his apartment door. His wreathe hung crookedly as he had slammed the door in his excitement to get to the airport. He learned forward, pressing his head against his front door.

Suddenly, his heart wrenched as all the emotions he had been trying to suppress since he learned his flight was canceled surged forward in horrible tidal wave and crashed over him.

Tears fell silently down his cheeks as lips trembled. Slowly, he slide down to his knees and punched his front door as a sob tore out of him.

All he had ever wanted for every Christmas since his mother died was to spend Christmas with his father and finally after 12 years his father wanted the exact same thing and it seemed like his wish would finally come true this year.

But of course it wouldn’t, fate was never kind to him.

Adrien curled up pathetically against his door, no motivation to actually go inside.

He wasn't sure how long he has been sitting there before Marinette’s door opened.

Quickly, he shuffled around trying to like he was doing something and rose to his feet, discreetly wiping his eyes.

“Oh um- I was just- dropped my stuff and-“ he trailed off, avoiding her gaze.

Marinette sighed. “Look, I know we hate each other but it’s Christmas Eve and I know your flight was cancelled so please come inside.”

Adrien took a shaky breathe, “I don’t need your pity-“

“Adrien, I am alone too so let’s just make a truce and not be alone, together.”

Adrien looked up into her blue eyes and sniffled, hesitating. After last Christmas. where they had got off to a bad start, as Marinette viewed Adrien saving the apartment building as a personal attack that had lead to more bickering between the two of them whenever they saw each other coming and going. The worst however, was that they had also learned the hard way that his best friend and her best friend were dating each other. Which meant they were in each others lives far more then either of them wanted to be. They were civil but one could not say they were friends.

Still, he analyzed her gaze and felt his walls coming down. She was alone for some reason too and the last thing he wanted was for his precious apartment to end up just like his childhood home, empty and alone.

As nonchalantly as he could he said, “I guess we should get along for Nino’s and Alya’s sake.”

As nonchalantly as she could she agreed, “Plus I may have made too much hot chocolate to drink myself.”

He chuckled though it came out slightly wavering. “Well I definitely can’t say no to that. Do you have mini marshmallows?”

Marinette looked affronted, “Mini marshmallows ruin the integrity of the chocolate in the hot chocolate.”

Adrien, who had bent over and picked up his bags, froze and put a hand to his heart. “You don’t like mini marshmallows?! Why do you hate love?!”

Marinette suppressed a grin, “Maybe I should just enjoy all this hot chocolate by myself so it doesn't get consumed by someone who can’t appreciate its deliciousness.”

She turned and headed back into her apartment with Adrien hot on heels, arguing about the sanctity of mini marshmallows as he followed.


	2. Chapter 2

Year 3 

"Alright, who’s the dumbass who broke the radiator?!” Alya yelled.

Nino grabbed his girlfriend’s shoulders, “Babe, chill it'll be fine- I’ll just call-“

Alya whirled around facing him, “CHILL!? HOW ARE WE SUPPOSE TO CHILL WHEN THE RADIATOR IS BROKEN?!”

Marionette intervened, “Alya, Nino will call the maintenance guy and it'll be fine.”

“Yeah like we are going to be able to get a guy to fix the radiator the day before Christmas Eve.” Alya ranted, puling on her hair. “Our Christmas party starts in less then an hour Nino! What are we gonna do?”

Awkwardly, Adrien approached, “Maybe we could turn this into a tropical theme Christmas party? You know since it’s gonna get warmer in here?”

Marionette smiled excitedly, “Yeah, it will fun! We’ll just text people and let them know the change in theme and you guys still have the Hawaiian themed decorations from your bosses’ celebration, we can use those!” She turned and smiled brightly at Adrien, whose heart skipped a beat at the sight of it.

Nino nodded, “Yeah, see everything will be fine, babe!”

However, three hours later, everything was in fact not fine.

It had started out fine, after the decorations were put up, which included a palm tree they decorated with ornaments, and the maintenance man called, who had assured them he would stop by within the next hour and a half, guests had started showing up and people were mingling.

Slowly the temperature rose and clothes were being shed and the time frame the maintenance guy promised he would stop by, came and went. By the third hour people were sweating profusely and the hors d’oeuvres were melting.

Adrien was wandering the apartment when Marionette caught his eyes. She had shed her red christmas sweater and was wearing a pink tank top which perfectly exposed her chiseled arms and delicate collar bone. Her hair was falling from a messy bun and when she turned and saw him staring, she blushed and smiled, and Adrien burned.

_Oh no she's hot._

Adrien shook his head fiercely.

 _It’s just the heat_. He thought stubbornly. _The heat is making me crazy._

He grinned awkwardly back and raised one hand in greeting while the other rubbed his neck.

“Staring at Marionette again.”

Adrien jumped, “Jesus Nino don’t do that!” He punched him in the shoulder.

Nino simply laughed, “Dude you got it bad.”

Adrien’s already flushed face turned a darker shade of red, “Shut up!”.

“Deny it all you want but ever since last Christmas you’ve had it bad for her.”

Adrien stole a look at her and regretted it immediately. She was positively glowing. The sweat on her skin was reflecting the Christmas lights and no no no she can’t be this beautiful.

He gulped and looked back Nino who openly smirking at him, “We started off on a bad foot so now we’re trying this whole friendship thing.”

“Yeah uh huh, sure. With the way your basically undressing her with your eyes-“

“Nino shut up!”

He just laughed at Adrien’s distress and then pushed him toward where Adrien knew Marinette was standing.

“Oh look here she comes!”

Adrien whipped around and jumped when Marionette started heading over to him but couldn’t tear his eyes off her and the way she looked down right predatory as she stalked closer to him.

“Nino what do I - NINO!” When Adrien does turn around Nino is already gone, leaving him to fend for himself.

“Hey Adrien”, Marionette said smiling sweetly, like she doesn’t totally know what she’s doing to him.

“Hi Marinette, Merry Christmas!”, he answered a bit too loudly while turning abruptly to greet her.

She giggled and sipped at her drink.

“That was a good idea to turn this party into a tropical themed one, though it looks like people are melting.”

Adrien looked around the room, thankful for the excuse to look anywhere but her. The sorry people were dripping sweat and many people were down to their lightest layers of clothes. Alya was filling everyone’s glasses with more alcohol probably in an attempt to keep them tipsy enough that they will ignore the heat.

“Sorry your father couldn’t make it home for Christmas this year”, Marinette said, bringing his attention back to her. “I know how much spending time with him is important to you.”

Adrien blinked at the abrupt changed in topic but then melted when he realized that she was concerned for him. He shrugged because honestly after his failure last year to get to his father to spend Christmas with him, he ended up enjoying his time with Marinette who took him in, far more then he cared to admit.

But the fact that she remembered was causing his heart to stutter in a horrible way, because he couldn’t like her like that, she’s Marinette, he can’t ruin their dynamic over something as stupid as liking her.

Realizing he was opening staring at her, he coughed. “It’s okay. He was going to be swamped since he new design release and honestly it’s nice being with this family of friends.”

Marinette pushed him playfully. “Pssh even with our history, a broken radiator, and Alya herding us around like animals?

Adrien looked out over the apartment where Nino was trying to cram his whole body into the fridge, where the palm tree drooped over with the wieght of the ornaments, toward who Alya was trying to corral people into the living room, and then finally down at Marinette, whose eyes were swirling with mirth and happiness.

She was someone who he could joke around with and banter with and honestly he couldn’t imagine spending Christmas without her after all the fun he has last year.

He smiled down at her, “Yeah, I’m happy with this family very much….even if you are apart of it.”

She punched him and all he could think was…

_Oh no I like her._

 

_\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

 

_Year 4_

Within the past year Adrien’s little crush on Marinette had become full blown debilitating.

How could one person so cute?! How was that humanly possible? He didn’t know but every time he ran into her in the hall or anytime they hung out at one of their apartments and she would blink her big blue eyes at him, his heart would melt.

In a totally non stalker way he discovered she spent a large amount of time on her balcony so when Christmas time came around he was unsurprised to find her on her out there decorating.

She was standing on a ladder in a big fluffy pink sweater, hanging Christmas lights while humming carols under her breath.

He walked out onto his adjacent balcony and bent over his railing, putting his head in his hands.

“Whatcha doing?” he asked in a sing song voice.

She jumped, her ladder shaking threatening.

“Woah be careful!” he exclaimed.

She turned and glared at him. “Well then don’t give me a heart attack!”

“Not my fault you’re skittish…. like a bunny.”

She scoffed, resuming her stringing. “I’m not skittish and I am not a bunny.”

“You’re cute like a bunny too!” Getting excited at his accurate assessment of what animal she was, “And look at your sweater! You’re so small, so fluffy,” He cooed.

Even though he couldn’t see her, he could feel her eye roll. “Ugh why are we friends? My first impression of you was right.”

“And what was that?”

“That you’re an arrogant bastard.”

Adrien smirked, “Sounds like you were hopping to conclusions.”

Marinette threw her head back a groaned. “Not the puns”

Adrien chuckled, “Always the puns.”

She turned her attention back to him which really was all he wanted to accomplish.

With her best glare she threatened, “I’m gonna murder you, I know where you live,” a small smile peaking through her empty threat.

Adrien gave her his saddest kittens eyes, “You would kill your best friend?”

“Don’t let Alya hear you say that or she’ll do the job for me.”

Adrien froze, “Oh God she would kill me. Mari you gotta save!”

“No you brought this on yourself.”

Adrien pouted, “For implying that you’re my best friend? How cruel! But as my best friend I’ll forgive you cause that’s what best friends do.”

Marinette paused for beat, “Am I really your best friend?”

Adrien looked up and saw her eyes filled uncertainty which was crazy. The spend basically all their down time together, how could they not be best friends?

But there in her eyes was her self doubt, peeking through.

Softly and sincerely he answered, “Yeah Mari you are.” With a pause he added, “But don’t let Nino hear me say that.”

Her eyes filled with happiness and she laughed. As she laughed though her balance tipped back and Adrien watched in shock as she fell and crashed down on her balcony floor.

He pushed himself as far as he could over his railing to see her. She was spread eagle on the ground, peering up at him.

“Oh my god Marinette are you okay?!”

She got up and brushed herself off, “I’m fine, I’m fine- OW! My ankle!”

She limped over to a chair and plopped down.

“Are you okay?” he asked, worry seeping through his voice.

She pressed down on her ankle and winced. “I think I sprained my ankle.”

Adrien went over to her apartment and unlocked the door with his key.

He went out to her, knelt down, and gently touch her ankle while watching her reaction. She winced and scrunched up her nose which shouldn’t have been as adorable as Adrien found it. When she opened her eyes they were face to face, a breath lengths apart. Marinette’s face turned a beautiful shade of scarlet before blinking and looking away.

With the moment passed, Adrien stuttered, “We-um- we should ice your ankle to-to stop the pain.”

Marinette nodded and went to stand up but Adrien gabbed her arm, “I should carry you.”

“Carry me? Adrien, I can just limp over to the couch.” She said pointing to where her couch was seven feet away.

Before she could protest, he scooped her up and she grabbed at his neck, clinging on.

“ADRIEN PUT ME DOWN!”

In a gallant, booming voice, he declared, “My princess is injured! As her knight I must protect her and escort her out of danger!”

Marinette hit her head against his chest, “Oh my god, you nerd! Fine! Carry me the seven feet to my couch.” She said exasperated, pointing to where her couch was.”

He walked her over and gently set her down. After they had iced her ankle, they laid on her couch and Adrien put on her favorite Christmas movie.

“I can’t believe your friendship almost killed me,” She said.

Without taking his eyes off the movie he answered, “At best my friendship broke your ankle.”

“Never mind I totally can believe it.” She answered, pouting.

A week later and Marinette’s ankle was all better. But her ankle had caused her to push back all her Christmas shopping which resulted in today, a day where she spent seven hours at the mall frantically shopping for gifts for her friends and family. Needless to say she was tired and she trudged up to her apartment. She wanted nothing more then a warm cup of tea and to bury herself under a mountain of blankets. She was a little disappointed, she thought as she dug through her purse to pull out her apartment key, that she never did finish hanging up her Christmas lights both inside and outside. After her ankle she didn’t want to try and possibly fall and hurt herself worse right before Christmas. But she did want to watch them twinkle as the snow fell and to be encased in their soft, warm glow.

She shrugged off her disappointment as she pushed through her door but promptly stopped in her tracks and gasped. Her apartment had been transformed into a winter wonderland. Lights hung around her windows, stockings were hung from her fireplace, and garlands wove around counters and lamps. A small little Christmas tree was placed her on her desk.

There was no note or anything but only one person could have done this. 

Marinette smiled and pulled out her phone.

She dialed his number and he answered on the first ring.

"Hey you want to come over for some hot chocolate? I'll even put some mini marshmallows in it."

Her heart warmed as his voiced washed over her. He teased her which left her blushing and she was thankful he couldn't see her face. He was a giant dork, but he was her dork. He was sweetest person she had ever met because honestly who else would take the time and  _oh my god, I like Adrien._


End file.
